IWC Schaffhausen Unveils New Flagship Boutique, Adding a Star to the Beijing Sky

BEIJING, November 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Yesterday, IWC Schaffhausen celebrated the opening of its Flagship Boutique in Beijing, China. Friends of the Brand and selected guests were among those in attendance at the spectacular unveiling ceremony in the Parkview Green Mall, followed by the premiere of an IWC Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia dedicated to Beijing, an evening to remember.

"Our new Flagship Boutique, now the second in Asia, takes IWC's watchmaking heritage to a new level," explained IWC CEO Georges Kern. "We are proud to celebrate this occasion with our distinguished guests and to honor the importance of the Chinese market with an exclusive timepiece". Parkview Green, a new mall in the heart of Beijing's central business district, is setting new standards in both form and function with the use of innovative environmental technologies, enabling, among other achievements, the establishment of a microclimate beyond the influence of Beijing's extreme seasonal climates. IWC invited 200 guests to join them at Parkview Green for the boutique's grand opening event. For the inauguration, guests gathered on the bridge in front of the fully covered Flagship Boutique to learn more about IWC's milestones of innovation, an exhibition featuring ten watches from the years 1874 to 2000.

SPECTACULAR UNVEILING WITH FRIENDS OF THE BRAND

After the reception on the bridge, Friends of the Brand including actress Tang Wei, Olympic gold medal winner Chen Yibing, actor Su You Peng, actress Zhu Zhu, movie director Wang Xiaoshuai, and artist Wang Luyan joined forces with Georges Kern, Benoit de Clerck, Managing Director of IWC Asia Pacific, and Dennis Lee, Managing Director of IWC China, to unveil the architectural highlight. "The first IWC Flagship Boutique in mainland China is not only important for the region, but also adds a new landmark to the company's history," explained Georges Kern. The dimensions became even more evident after the curtains had dropped and guests were able to discover the Flagship Boutique's interior.

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE MEETS INNOVATIVE DESIGN

The architecture of IWC's third Flagship Boutique is just as exceptional as its surroundings. The facade of the approximately 300 square-meter, bi-level glass cube is an eye-catcher in its own right. A brainchild of in-house designers and architects, the signature interior reflects the luxurious ambience of IWC's collection. Fitted out with sumptuous dark woods and exquisite materials, the Flagship Boutique creates an elegant atmosphere that invites customers to explore the six fascinating watch families along with boutique-exclusive editions, and the IWC Collection, only available in Flagship Boutiques, and made up of innovative, hand-picked items and accessories as exquisite and outstanding as the watches themselves.

A NEW STAR IS BORN

In addition to its one-of-a-kind environment, the IWC Flagship Boutique Beijing - which is the second Flagship Boutique in Asia - features a world premiere - and not only for aficionados of haute horlogerie: a room dedicated to a star in IWC's history, the Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia. The pinnacle of mechanical and engineering skills in the art of astronomical timekeeping today combines over 500 components, from the patented constant-force tourbillon escapement to the wheel train, culminating in the display of solar and sidereal time, twilight, sunrise, and sunset, and the constantly changing view of the visible stars and constellations from the customer's own horizon. To mark the special occasion, IWC created a Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia with a celestial chart on the case back showing the Forbidden City's horizon. The new Flagship Boutique will be home to this masterpiece, which reflects IWC's founding principles: creating innovative watches with technologies ahead of their time, while always respecting sustainability and heritage. The combination of tradition and innovation deeply rooted in IWC's multifaceted timepieces has now found a worthy new home in one of the world's most ancient capitals.

With a clear focus on technology and development, the Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has been producing watches of lasting value since 1868. The company has gained an international reputation based on a passion for innovative solutions and technical ingenuity. One of the world's leading brands in the luxury watch segment, IWC crafts masterpieces of haute horlogerie at its finest, combining supreme precision with exclusive design.